Tray support



Oct. 23, 1962 B. DANKA 3,059,780

TRAY SUPPORT Original File d Dec. 10, 1958 INVENTOR.

' 54/1/55 DAN/(A BY z atent nice 3,059,780 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 3,059,780 TRAY SUPPORT Blaise DAnka, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Crescent Metal Products, Inc, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application Dec. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 779,434, new Patent No. 2,995,257, dated Aug. 8, 1961. Divided and this application Sept. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 54,235

5 Claims. (Cl. 211-147) My invention relates to racks for supporting and carrying a plurality of trays or the like in a horizontal position and a vertically spaced apart relation, and more particularly to a rack having improved adjustable tray supports or rails. This is a division of my prior copending application Serial No. 779,434 filed December 10, 1958, granted August 8, 1961, as Patent No. 2,995,257 for a Tray Support.

Racks such as those of my invention may be used for supporting and carrying trays, pans, boxes and baskets. The trays, pans, etc. may be made of plastic, wood, metal or other materials. The racks are useful in any application where trays, pans, etc. are to be held in a multiple method. Racks such as those of my invention are commonly employed, for example, in the baked goods industry for holding trays of baked good in bakeries, on distribution trucks or at points of retail sale. Such racks may have wheels on the bottom for mobility, or they may be made without wheels as stationary racks.

The trays used in these racks are generally rectangular in plan outline and may have raised sides of varying heights ending in an outwardly extending flange or rolled edge. When in place in the rack, the trays are supported under the edge or flange of two opposite sides by rails or supports embodied in the rack. Such trays when loaded should be able to be easily placed in and removed from the rack through one or two of its faces.

Because the depth of the trays may vary between that of a relatively shallow cooky tray to a much deeper totetype tray, and further because of the varying height of the articles that may be carried by these trays of varying depth, it is desirable to be able to space the trays apart at varying vertical distance Within the rack so that no space is wasted and the total capacity of the rack can be utilized. I

The tray supports or rails of the rack must provide a lip or edge projecting into the tray carrying space upon which the edges of the trays can rest. In addition, they must be able to adequately support the weight of a loaded tray while it is being placed into or removed from the rack as by sliding opposite edges of the tray along the rails or supports from one end to the other, as well as while the tray is resting in the rack in the carrying position.

A further important requirement of racks of this type is that the tray supports or rails have and maintain a relative alignment with the rack and each other so that the trays are supported in a parallel level attitude assuming the rack to be on a level surface. This is especially important if containers of liquid or semi-liquid material are carried on the trays.

It is also desirable that the rack be as simple and light as possible while affording adequate rigidity and strength for supporting its load.

Therefore, an object of my invention is to provide a rack for carrying and supporting trays as described above having tray supports or rails that can be placed at various levels on two opposite sides of the rack to achieve the various vertical spacing desired between the trays to be supported.

Another object of my invention is to provide a rack having a tray support or rail quickly and easily removable from and replaceable in such rack for convenient 2 adjustment of the distance between the trays supported.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a rack having a tray support or rail that has suflicient beam strength when supported at both ends to carry loaded trays.

Another object of my invention is to provide a rack of the type described that will support the trays in a parallel level attitude when the rack is on a level surface.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide rails or supports that are readily and easily removable from the rack while fitting snugly enough therein that an ordinary amount of jiggling and bumping encountered when wheeling or moving an empty rack about will not displace them from their parallel level alignment.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tray support or rail which adds to the rigidity and structural strength of the rack.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a rack having a tray support or rail that Will interchangeably fit any and all positions of vertical distance adjustment within the rack.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a serviceable lightweight rack having simple and sturdy removable tray supports or rails which will contribute to economics in manufacturing and operating the rack.

The way in which I accomplish the foregoing objects can be best illustrated by the following description together with the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a rack of my invention having improved removable tray supports and showing a tray in place.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale of a portion of the rail or support mounted on the upright member of the rack in FIGURE 1.

The rack of my invention, as shown in FIGURE 1, consists simply of a base 10, a top 11, and four upright members 12. The base 10 and top 11 are rectangular in shape and slightly larger than the trays T to be placed within the rack. Upright members 12 are located at the corners of the base 10 and top 11 and hold them in a parallel and spaced apart relation. The base 10, top 11 and upright members 12 together form an integral selfsupporting structure which constitues the frame of the rack. Though I have shown the frame of the rack of my invention as an open structure, it is understood that the structure may have a closed side or sides, fixed or hinged to provide a door, for example. Uprights 12 are preferably members of uniform and L-shaped transverse cross section, though other shapes can be used.

Supports or rails 20 for trays are removably mounted, in a manner to be described, on two inside opposite faces of the rack. These removable supports or rails 20, supported at each end by an upright member 12, are used in pairs to support a single rectangular tray T or the like. In use, trays T are placed in the rack by placing the underside of the outwardly extending flange F along two opposite edges of the tray on two horizontally aligned parallel supports 20.

FIGURE 2 shows the manner of mounting removable supports 2th on uprights 12 in the form of the rack and supports I prefer. As seen in FIGURE 1, the upright members 12 of the angle cross section I prefer are arranged in cooperating pairs so that angle legs 14 of one cooperating pair of uprights 12 lie along one side of base 16 and corresponding side of top 11 while angle legs 14 of the other pair of uprights 12 lie along the opposite side of base 10 and top 11. In addition, the upright members 12 are preferably so arranged that the angle legs 14 extend toward their adjacent corners of base 11) and top 11. Thus, the angle legs 13 of each cooperating pair of upright members 12 will be parallel to each other, be located inwardly from their adjacent front or back side of bottom 10 and top 11, as the case may be, and also project inwardly from and normal to their adjacent side edge of bottom 16 and top 11. This arrangement results in an advantage that will be explained below.

The angle leg 13 of each of the upright members 12 is provided with a plurality of transverse passages or holes 21 spaced apart along its length from one end to the other. The holes 21 are spaced so that a hole 21 at a particular level in one upright member 12 is in horizontal alignment with other holes 21 in the other upright members 12. Thus, a support or rail 2% such as will be described below can be horizontally supported between two cooperating upright members 12 by engagement of its two ends in a pair of horizontally aligned holes 21. Another support or rail 29 similar to the first can be horizontally supported between the other two operating upright members 12 in the same manner and at the same level as the first. The result is two parallel rails 20 adapted to support in a horizontal plane a rectangular tray placed thereon by a pair of its opposite parallel edges.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in enlarged detail in FIGURE 2. A tubular rail 20 is provided with parallel slotted openings 22 extending transversely into rail 20 normal to its longitudinal axis. The upright members 12 preferably have an angled transverse cross section and are oriented with respect to each other in the manner described above. The inwardly extending angle legs 13 of upright members 12 are provided along their length with a plurality of spaced apart transverse passages or holes 21 therethrough. Locking pins 23 are removably fitted in holes 21 and are of sufficient length to extend axially through and beyond holes 21 in angle leg '13. The slotted openings 22 are spaced apart along the length of rails 20 the same distance as the horizontal spacing of angle legs 13 of upright members 12. ThusQthe slotted openings 22 of each rail 20 will receive angle legs 13 of the upright members 12 when the rail 20 is horizontally aligned adjacent a set of upright members 12. When the rail 20 is in place, a locking pin 23 in each of the angle legs 13 received by rail 20 engages the inner peripheral wall of the tubular rail 20. I prefer that the depth of the slots 22, the thickness of the wall of tubular rail 20 and the diameter and location of locking pins 23 are such that when angle leg 13 is received by the full depth of a slot 22, a locking pin 23 in place in a hole 21 will bear snugly against the inner peripheral wall of tubular rail 20 to prevent the disengagement of the pins and rails from the upright members by ordinary bumping and vibration encountered in operation of the rack.

The rails 20 may be removed and replaced at various levels in the rack by removing the locking pins 23 from holes 21 in each of the angle legs 13 of upright members 12 received by the rail 20 whereupon the rail is removed from engagement with the upright members and replaced at the desired other level so that holes 21 are exposed within the interior of the rail 20 into which locking pins 23 can be snugly fitted.

My invention is adapted to successively strengthen and make rigid the rack as more and more rails are put in place thereon because upright members 12 are constrained in a vertical position by the engagement of slotted openings 22 and angle legs 13 of the upright members. Also, the tubular form of rail 20 provides a rail having a high resistance to deflection by loads placed upon it between its supported ends. In addition, the rails are universal in that they may be reversed end for end in the rack and can be removed and replaced universally at all levels in the rack at which a locking pin 23 will engage them. With locking pins 23 in place, a mounted rail 20 is positively locked against lateral and axial displacement from the rack.

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Changes, modifications and improvements may be made to the above-described form of my invention without departing from the precepts and principles of the invention. Therefore, I do not wish my patent to be limited to the form of my invention specifically illustrated and described nor in any manner inconsistent with the extent to which my invention has promoted the art.

I claim:

1. In a rack for supporting trays at adjustable levels within said rack, the combination of a pair of upright members spaced apart along a side of said rack and a longitudinal rail extending between and beyond and along the sides of the upright member facing inwardly of the rack and detachably mounted on and supported by said upright members for supportably mounting one margin of a tray, each of said upright members having along its length a plurality of spaced apart passages extending transversely therethrough in axially parallel alignment with said rail, said rail having a substantially uniform transverse cross section throughout its length, transverse slots extending inwardly from a longitudinal edge thereof for engagement with said upright members, and axial passages in each end portion intersecting said transverse slots, said slots in said rail rcccivably engaging said upright members whereby a transverse passage in each upright member is brought into axial alignment with one of said axial passages in said rail, and locking means received by said aligned axial and transverse passages for releasably locking said rail to said upright members.

2. In a rack for supporting trays at adjustable levels within said rack, the combination of a pair of upright members spaced apart along a side of said rack and a tubular rail extending between and beyond and along the sides of the upright member facing inwardly of the rack and detachably mounted on and supported by said upright members for supportably mounting one margin of a tray, each of said upright members having along its length a plurality of spaced apart passages extending transversely therethrough in axially parallel alignment with said rail, said rail having transverse slots extending inwardly through the wall thereof for engagement with said upright members, said slots in said rail receivably engaging said upright members whereby a transverse passage in each upright member appears interiorly of said tubular rail, and locking means received by said transverse passages interiorly of said tubular rail for releasably locking said rail to said upright members.

3. In a rack for supporting trays at adjustable levels within said rack, the combination of upright members spaced apart along opposite sides of said rack, a plurality of rails having axial bores in each end portion thereof and mounted on and extending longitudinally between said upright members and extending laterally inwardly of the inwardly facing sides of said upright members, said up right members having along their lengths a plurality of rcmovable locking pin means for engaging said rails, said rails being transversely slotted to engage said upright members and to receive said locking pin means interiorly of said axial bores of said rails whereby said rails may be removed and replaced at various levels in said rack.

4. In a rack for supporting trays at adjustable levels within said rack, the combination of upright members spaced apart along opposite sides of said rack, a plurality of tubular open ended rails mounted on and extending longitudinally between said upright members and extending laterally inwardly of the inwardly facing sides of said upright members, said upright members having along their lengths a plurality of rail engaging means comprising removable locking pins and holes for receiving them, said rails being transversely slotted to engage said upright members and to receive said locking pins in said holes in teriorly of said rails whereby said rails may be removed and replaced at various levels in said rack.

5. In a rack for supporting trays at adjustable levels Within said rack, the combination of upright members extending along opposite sides of said rack, said upright members each having an L-shaped transverse cross section having a first leg and a second leg arranged with respect to the opposite sides of said rack so that said first legs are substantially normal thereto and said second legs are substantially parallel thereto, said second legs adjacent the ends of each of said opposite sides extending oppositely away from each other, a plurality of rails mounted on and extending longitudinally between said upright members and extending transversely of the inwardly facing sides of said upright members, each of said first legs having a plurality of spaced apart passages extending transversely therethrough in axially parallel alignment With said rails, each of said rails having a substantially uniform transverse cross section throughout its length, transverse slots extending inwardly from a longitudinal edge thereof for engagement with said first legs of said upright members, and an axial passage therethrough intersecting said transverse slots, each of said slots in said rails receivably engaging a first leg of an upright member whereby a transverse passage in a first leg of each upright member is brought into axial alignment with said axial passages in said rail, and locking means received by said aligned axial and transverse passages for releasably locking said rails to said upright members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 754,817 Schriefer Mar. 15, 1904 2,820,552 Erisalu Jan. 21, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 136,490 Sweden of 1952 375,504 Great Britain of 1932 449,508 Italy of 1949 

